Electric-lighting system



(No Model.)

M. J, QUIRK & 0. EACH, Jr.

BLEGTRIG LIGHTING SYSTEM.

No. 480,782. Pgtented Aug. 16, 1892.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

MICHAEL J. QUIRK AND CHRISTOPH EACH, J R., OF MILIVAUKEE, IVISCONSIN.

ELECTRIC-LIGHTING SYSTEM.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 480,782, dated August16, 1892.

Application filed October 29, 1891- $erial No. 410,192. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, MICHAEL J. QUIRK and CHRISTOPH BAOH, J r., ofMilwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and State of \Visconsin, haveinvented a new and useful Improvement in Electric-Light Systems, ofwhich the following is a description, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings, which are a part of this specification.

Our invention has relation to improvements in systems for electriclighting.

The present mechanism employed for controlling lights in buildings andlarge structures wherein a crank is employed for making and breaking thecircuit, not only presents a complicated arrangement, but besides isextremely unsightly, owing to the exposure to view of the mechanicalparts of the device.

It is the object of our invention-to greatly simplify the now existingarrangement, and at the same time to provide a construction which willnot in the least mar the appearance of a room in which the mechanism islocated; and with this particularly in view the invention consists inthe improved construction and arrangement of parts, as hereinafter morefully set forth.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of our singlesystem adapted for lighting and extinguishing the lights upon one flooronly, the cover of the base being removed to show the working parts.Fig. 2 is a central vertical section of the base a d cover, the interiormechanism, however, being shown in full lines, except at one point,where it is broken away in order to illustrate clearly thesecuring-screw. Fig. 3 is an edge elevation of the switch-pole, showingthe pivoted switch-lever in transverse section. Fig. i is an elevationof the push-button and an end elevation of the switch lever,illustrating clearly the registering bevels of the same; and Fig. 5 is adiagrammatic view of the double-switch system adapted for controllingthe lights upon two floors.

Like letters and figures of reference refer to like parts throughout theseveral views.

Referring to the drawings, the letter A indicates a base-plate, which iscomposed of porcelain or wood, but preferably of the latter. This baseis'concealed by means of a cover B, provided with apertured cavities bb.

Formed upon the top of the cover are pushbutton cases 1) "0 into whichthe push-buttons C 0 work, said buttons being of the usual constructionand having their shanks passing through apertures in plates D D,arranged upon the inner side of the cover, the extremity of the shank ofbutton 0, however, being beveled, as indicated at c. The usual coiledsprings E E are disposed upon the shanks intermediate the heads andplates D D.

The letter F indicates a transverse contactplate resting upon the base,and G a longitudinally-disposed switch-lever, which rests on thecontact-plate and is pivoted upon a screw II. This screw is of thepeculiar form illustrated in Fig. 2, the head thereof bearing upon thetop of the lever and the enlarged circular portion beneath the headpassing through the increased width of the lever at this point. Thescrew-threaded extremity extends through the contact-plate and alsothrough the base, the end thereof receiving a nut I, bearing against thebordering wall of a cavity upon the other side of the base.

The opposite extremities of the switch are beveled, as indicated at g g,Fig. 4, bevel g registering with the beveled end of push-button C, sothat when the latter is depressed it will contact with said bevel g andcause the lever to readily swing upon its pivot. A spring switch-pole Jis located upon one side of the lever, while an angular plate K islocated upon the opposite side. The latter serves, when employed inconnection with the single system, merely as a stop for the end of thelever, while when used in connection with the double system serves bothas a stop and contactpoint.

Switch-pole J is shown in the drawings as consisting of inner and outerangularly-bent plates J and J, adapted to receive therebetween the endof the lever. Plate j, however, is provided with an upturned end 9'which when the lever is thrown into contact therewith bears against oneedge thereof and'firmly holds the lever in position between the twoplates until a downward pressure is exerted upon plate j. It will benoticed that the'lever is provided at this end with the bevel g,hereinbefore referred to, which facilitates the engagementjustdescribed. In order to effect the release of the lever from the pole, weemploy an extra spring-plate L, the free end of which bears upon platej. This plate L is brought into forcible contact with said plate 7' bydepressing push-button O, which is located immediately above the same.WVhen this is done, the under leaf j is moved laterally away from thelever, which latter is then released and brought around to the positionshown in dotted lines, Fig. 1, by the action of the retractile spring M,the movement of the lever being limited by the angular plate K.

In explanation of the single-switch system reference should be had toFig.1 of the drawings, wherein the numeral 1 indicates the feedwire,running from the dynamo or other source of supply (not shown) leadingdirectly to transverse contact-plate F, and 2 indicates theelectric-light wire, which runs from the switchpole to the electriclights and is conducted from the latter to the exterior of the building.The jet may consist of from six to ten lights, in accordance with theregulation number, distributed at different portions of the floor. Whenthe lever is in the position shown in full lines, the current passesfrom the feedwire to plate F, then from the lever to the switch-pole,from which point it is conducted by the wire 2 to the electric lights.

Referring now to the double-switch system, which is adapted for lightingor extinguish ing the jet from either the first or second floors of thebuilding, Fig. 5 illustrates clearly the arrangement. Inasmuch as themechanical parts shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 are exactly duplicated,it has not been thought necessary to show all of the parts thusduplicated, and for this reason only switch-levers Gare shown and theposition of the switch-polesJ and angular plates K illustrated by dots.Plates K, however, in this system serve not merely as stops, but,furthermore, as contact-points. The only change made necessary in orderto adapt our system to two stories of thestructure is, instead ofrunningwire 2, leading from the switch-pole, directly to the lights, toextend the same to the corresponding switch-pole of the other story andto connect the two plates K by a wire 3, the electric-light wire 4extending from the switch-lever located upon one floor.

In the position in which the levers are illustrated in both full anddotted lines, Fig. 5, the current is made. Following out the full lines,the current first passes along the feedwire to the lever located at onepoint, over wire 2 to the lever located at the other point, and fromsaid last-named lever to the electric lights through the medium of wire4.

Following the course when the levers are in position shown in dottedlines, the current first passes over the feed-wire to the lever at onepoint, from thence over wire 3 to the lever at the other point, and fromsaid lastnamed lever to the electric-light wire.

From the above it will therefore be seen that in order to make thecurrent from either the first or second stories all that is necessary issimply to press upon the proper push-button for throwing the lever intocontact with the pole corresponding to the pole with which the lever atthe other point contacts, and in order to break the current the reverseoperation is gone through with-that is to say, the operator presses uponthe proper button to throw the lever at the point where he is operatinginto contact with the pole opposite to the pole which the lever at theother point engages.

It will of course be understood that the lights shown in the circuit arearranged in series.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent of the United States, is-

1. In an electric-light system, the combina tion of a switch-leverswinging laterally upon a pivot at right angles thereto, a switch-polearranged to one side of the lever and adapted to engage said lever whenthe same is swung laterally thereagainst, a stop arranged upon theopposite side of the lever, a sprin -plate engaging the switch-pole,push-buttons, one of which is adapted to engage directly the end of thelever to throw it laterally into contact with the switch-pole and theother constructed to engage the spring-plate to release the lever fromsaid switch-pole, and electric lights within the circuit, substantiallyas set forth.

2. In an electric-light system, the combination of a switch-lever havingits opposite ends beveled, a stop, a switch-pole having an angular endover which one of the beveled extremities of the lever is adapted toride, a spring-plate having its free end bearing upon the switch-pole,apush-button adapted to exert a downward pressure upon the springplate,a push-button having the extremity of its shank beveled to register withthe corresponding beveled end of the lever, a retractile spring, wiresleading, respectively, to the lever and switch-pole, and electric lightswithin the circuit, substantially as set forth.

3. In an electric-light system, the combination of a base-plate, aswitch-lever pivoted thereon, contact points engaged by saidswitch-lever, an angular cover for inclosing the operating mechanism,provided with aperturesandpush-buttoncases havingregistering apertures,plates upon the inner surface of the cover, push-buttons within theircases, having their shanks projecting through the apertures and throughthe inner plates, and springs confined between said inner plates and theheads of the buttons, substantially as set forth.

4. In an electric-light system, the combination of duplicate deviceslocated in different portions of the building, each consisting of acasing having thereon a pivoted switch-lever, a switch-pole arranged toone side of the lever and adapted to hold said lever in contacttherewith as the lever is swung thereagainst, a spring-plate engagingthe switch-pole, a contact arranged upon the opposite side of the polesand contacts of each of the duplicate delever, push-buttons, one ofwhich is adapted to vices, substantially as set forth. engage directlythe end of the lever to throw In testimony whereof we affix oursignatures it laterally into contact with the switch-pole in presence oftwo witnesses.

5 and the other-constructed to engage the springplate and cause thelever to be thrown against the opposite contact, connecting-wiresleading m to the switch-levers at each point, one of said WVitnesses:

wires having electric lights in its circuits, and ARTHUR L. MORSELL,

10 wires connecting, respectively, the switch- ANNA V. FAUST.

